Reification and perspective taking

In Organizational Communication: Balancing Creativity and Constraint, Eric M.Eisenberg defines reification as “the process whereby socially constructed meanings come to be perceived and experienced as real, objective, and fixed, such that members ‘forget’ their participation in the construction of those meanings.” In any culture, social norms are started and maintained by members of that particular society, so much so that overtime these norms become a routine and it’d be unorthodox to go ahead and try to change them. In Eisenberg’s article with Bethany Crandell Goodier, called Seeking the Spirit, one point that arguably stands out the most was their take on creating and sustaining a nurturing environment. In the 2006 article, to address their research question, they conducted an ethnographic case study of a large Catholic not-for-profit health care system employing 7,000 workers full-time and serving 330,000 patients per year known by the name of “St. Joseph’s Health System.” In this, leaders at St. Joseph’s would focus on what they called “soulspace” to be able to change the ritual patterns of this organization from a more formal environment to a new space, which would focus on making work more fun, playful and inviting. Whether private or public, St. Joseph’s goal was to make their employees feel welcome, and family. This practice is very important for organizations in general, because 60–90% of communication is nonverbal, and if by creating a more comfortable and homey environment for employees keeps them more involved in their work. According to Goodier & Eisenberg, the rites and rituals of creating a nurturing environment that St. Joseph’s practices guide interaction, shape perception and interpretation, and facilitate a spiritual approach, and this is something that is applicable and evident in everyday situations.